Nutcracker



B. D. SMITH .NUTCRAGKER Original Filed Dec. l0.

Aug. 13, Y1929.

NN QW Patented Aug. 1 3, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

` BLANCHARD D. SMITH, OF NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, TO MAX M. SCHAUMBURGER AND E. HOWARD MCALEB, BOTH OF NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA, AS TRUSTEES -FOR W. HORACE WILLIAMS AND B. D. SMITH, BOTH OF NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA, AND SOUTHERN PECAN C0., INC., A CORPORA- TION OF LOUISIANA.

NUTCRACKR.

Application mea December 1o, 1927, serial No. 239,196. Renewed :rune 1a, 1929.

The invention forming the subject matter of this application relates to improvements in nutcrackers, and is primarily designed for the cracking of pecans and similar hard kerneled nuts. .s

The main object of the invention is to provide a pecancracker which cuts oit the ends of the pecan shell and cracks the remainder of the shell by pressure against the cut ends of said remainder to bulge it outwardly until it separates from the kernel and cracks into fragments which can be very readily removed. i

A further object of the invention is to provide a pecan cracker in which the shell cracking mechanism operates Without pinching .or hammering the shell and solely by axial yielding pressure on the shell to separate it from the kernel without breaking it.

Other objects of the invention will appear as the detailed description thereof proceeds.

In the drawing Figure 1 is a fragmentary sectional elevation of the essential parts of my invention;

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1, but showing the operative parts in different operative positions;

Figure 3 is a similar View showing the parts as positioned at another stage of operation of the invention;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary elevation of shell cracking elements in a further advanced stage of'operation; and,

Figure 5 is a vertical section on the line 5--5 of Figure 1.

As shown in the drawings, the invention includes a pair of standards 1 and 2 slidably mounted in suitable guideways on supporting columns' 3 and 4 respectively, whichl project upwardly from a base (not shown). These standards 1 and 2 are designed toibe simultaneously and intermittently moved toward and from a central reference plane designated by the line --lin Figure 1 by means of links 5 and 6 respectively, which are connected operably to actuating mechanism well known in this art.

The two standards and the nutcracking mechanism carried thereby are identical in every respect, and are operated by mechanism which is either old in the art, or can be readily supplied by any skilled mechanic,

My invention resides solely in the speciic nut-engaging and shell cracking mechanism and in the method of crushing the shell to separate it from the kernel ;A the specific mey y* Rotation is imparted to shaft 10 by means of a pulley 12 fixed to the shaft 10 and driven by a cable 13. A hub 14 fixed to one side of pulley 13 has an annular groove 15 formed therein to receive the ends of a bifurcated lever 16 controlling the sliding movements of the pulley 12 and, consequently, of the shaft 10 in the sleeve 8. The end of sleeve 8 and the standard 11 act as stops for the hub 14 and pulley 12, respectively, to limit the sliding movements of shaft 10 in opposite directions.

The sleeve 8 is provided at its end remote from pulley 12 with a counterbore 17 in which the cutter head 18, fixed on the end of shaft 10, slides and rotates, and this counterbored end is slotted radially to provide slots 19 in which the Crusher plates 20 are pivotally mounted at their innerends on pivot pins 21. The 'counterbored end of sleeve 8 is countersunk to provide a concave guide Aface 22 adapted to guide and center the end of a nut 23 relative to the cutter head 18.

Mounted 'to slide on the sleeve 18 is a Crusher operating sleeve 24 having a flange 25 at the end thereof adjacent the Crusher plates 20. This flange 25 is provided with a series of recesses 26 opposite the upturned lugs 27 formed on each of plates 2O and in which recesses springs 28 are secured to abut against the lugs 27 in order to keep; their inner cam edges 28,Y constantly in contact with the stop pins 2g. -Asseries of screws 30 are screwthreaded into lthe iialige '25 through the recesses 26 and coil springs 28 to abut against lugs 27 a'1idadjustably limit the rearward movement of plates 2 0 relative t0 flange 25;

ino

The sleeve 24 is provided with an annular recess 31 adapted'to receive the ends of a bifurcated operating leverv 32 for reciprocating the operating sleeve 24 in timed relation to the reciprocation of the shaft 10.

The outer periphery of the cutterI head 18 is concaved and provided with cutter teeth 33 adapted to score or cut slightly into the Shell of the nut 23 near the end thereof, and the Crusher plates 20 are provided with arcuate shoulders 34 adapted to engage the cut ends of the central part of shell 23 after the cutter head 18 has performed its cutting operation on the shell 23 and has been withdrawn from its cutting position.

In the operation ofthe invention it is to be understood that the machine is set, as to the throw of its standards 1 and 2, to corre i At the same time, the sleeves 24 are moved toward each other by the lever 32, and during this forward movement the cam edges 28 ride over the pins 29 and the plates 20 are forced toward each other by the springs 26 until their shoulders 34 impinge against the eut ends of the central part of the shell of nut 23.

The movement of sleeves 24 toward each other is continued, after engagement of shoulders 34 with the shell, until the plates 20 nearly contact at the center of the nut. If the shell is not cut clear through at its ends by heads 18, it is so weakened by the cuts thatthe ends drop oil when pressure is applied'by plates 20 withoutiinjuring the kernel. The arcuate ends of shoulders 34 are slightly rounded so that they ride over the kernel without cutting into it.

At the completion of the movement of the plates 2O toward each other, reciprocation in the opposite direction takes place until the kernel is removed from the sleeve 8 and an# other nut is presented for removal of its shell.

In the setting ofthe machine ni t must be understood that the screwsO are setto limit the backward movement of plates 2O so as to allow the shoulders 34 to open suiciently to clear the kernel of the nut, and yet hold them in contact. with the cut ends of the shell,...

What I claim is: f1. In a. nuteracker, a support for alnut,

means in said support for cutting olf the ends of theshell of the nut yielding means engagable with the cut ends of the shell and slidable along the nut kernel to separate the shell from the nut.

2. In a nuteracker, a support for a nut., a cutter slidably and rotatably mounted in said support to cut olf the ends of the nut shell, and means engageable with the cut ends of the shell and Slidahle along the nut kernel to separate the shell from the kernel.

3. A nuteracker comprising a. frame. means slidable on the frame to contact with and support a nut` means slidable in the first named means to cut out one end of a nut shell and means engageable in the cut end of the shell and slidable along the nut kernel to separate the shell from the kernel.

4. A nuteracker comprising a frame. a pair of sleeves slidable toward and from each other to support a nut between them, rotatable cutters reciprocably mounted in said sleeves to cut the ends of a nut supported between said sleeves, and crusher plates engagable with the cut ends of the nut to slide over the kernel of the nut and bulge the shell therefrom.

5. In a nut cracking machine a pair of nut supporting sleeves slidable toward and from each other, shafts slidably and rotatably mounted in said sleeve and having cutter heads adapted to eut off' the ends of a nut supported between said sleeves, a collar reciprocable on said sleeve, plates pivoted to said collar and having arcuate shoulders adapted to engage the cut ends of a nut, and means for reciprocating said shaft and collar in opposite direct-ions and in timed relation to each other.

6. A nuteracker comprising a frame, sleeves slidably mounted on said frame, rotatable cutters reeiprocable in said sleeves, means' reciprocable in said sleeve adapted to engage the cut ends of the nutand slidable along the kernel thereof to spread the shell away from the nut. v

7. A nut cracking machine having means for supporting the ends of a nut, means for cutting oft` the ends of shell of a supported nut, and means slidable on said supporting means and engagable with the cut ends of said shell to slide over the kernel of the nut and strip the shell therefrom.,

8. A nut cracking machine having supports slidable toward each other to support a nut between its ends, means for cutting olf the' ends of the shell of the supported nut, and means operable after the ends of the supported shell have been cut to engage the cut ends of said. shell and separate the uncut remainder of the shell from its kernel.

9. The` method of shelling a pecan nut which consists in gripping the opposite ends ofithe nut, cutting otf the ends of the shell of the gripped nut, applying force axially to the ends of the uncut remainder of the shell to bulge it off the kernel.

10. The method ofshelling pecan nuts, which consists in gripping the opposite end portions of the nut; cutting an annular shoulder around the shell of the supported nutnear each end thereof, applying force axially to each shoulder and tangential to the kernel of said nut to separate the central body of said shell from its ends and from the kernel of the nut.

11. The method of shelling a nut which consists in cutting oil' the ends of the shell at opposite ends of the nut and then applying torce simultaneously to each end of the un'- cut remainder of the shell to cause it to bulge oit' the kernel.

12. The method of shelling pecan' nuts Which consists in scoring the shell of a' nut to form annular grooves at each end thereof; and then applying axial pressure to opposite ends of the central body of the shell exposed by said groove to bulge the central body of the kernel and separate it from the ends of the shell.

13. In a nut cracking machine, a support for a nut, means rotatable in said support for cutting olf the ends of the shell of the nut, and means rectilinearly movable on said 'support and operable after the operation of the first named means to separate the remainder of the shell from the kernel.

14. In a nut cracking machine, a support for a nut, means rotatable on said ,support for cutting off the ends of the shells of a y supported nut and for removing the cut ends of said shell, and means rectilinearly mov- -able on said support after the operation of "40 th^ first named means for separating the remainder of the shell from the nut.

In testimony whereof I aix my signature.

BLANCHARD D. SMITH. 

